03/09/2017

On Spring Colds, Allergies, and Feeling Blue

Spring has sprung in Florida, and with the budding flowers and warm weather comes an inevitable string of colds, allergies, and exhaustion-induced breakdowns. Not fun. Nobody wants to waste their time at home with a cold or sneezing through the day, but there’s no denying it: a general feeling of yuck is all around us this season. Allergies are nearly unavoidable, but you can take steps to prevent yourself from catching the bug that’s been going around the office. Here are some tips to stay healthy in the midst of a wave of spring colds.

Hydrate. Your mom was right after all, drinking water is the very best thing you can do to prevent yourself from catching something and speed your recovery if you’re not lucky enough to avoid coming down with it. Drink lots of water, juices, and herbal teas before, during, and after you catch a cold.

Wash your hands all the time. Especially if you’re around people who could pass their germs on to you, it’s important to wash your hands more frequently than you usually do. If that’s not possible, slather on the hand sanitizer in the meantime, and wash whenever you get the opportunity. Here’s a recipe for homemade hand sanitizer made with essential oils. It’s less harsh and damaging than alcohol-filled commercial brands.

Add honey and cinnamon to green tea to fight a cough. Honey is soothing, and a healthy replacement for sugar when you’re down with a cold. Plus, green tea is hydrating, healing, and tastes great when you don’t feel well.

Rest. This is essential, yet surprisingly overlooked by many cultures. Give your body time to fight whatever you’re coming down with, take it easy, and relax. Being stressed and sleep deprived is like inviting sickness in. Keep your immune system strong by sleeping more when you’re feeling sluggish, and do everything you can to reduce stress.